Setup steps

Windows only, because Power BI Desktop runs on Windows.

1. Install Python 3.12

   Go to python.org (Python 3.12), download Windows installer (64-bit), run it and tick Add python.exe to PATH on the first screen.

2. Unzip the kit

   Right-click powerbi-mcp.zip → Extract All… → Extract. Move the powerbi-mcp folder somewhere permanent, like Documents.

3. Run Setup

   Double-click Setup (Windows).bat. If Windows shows "Windows protected your PC", click More info → Run anyway. Wait until the check shows [OK] lines.

4. Restart Claude Desktop

   Right-click the Claude icon near the clock → Quit, then open Claude Desktop again. Closing the window isn't enough.

5. Open your report and ask

   Open a .pbix in Power BI Desktop, wait for the data to load, and ask Claude:

   List the tables in my Power BI modelCopy

   Click Allow when Claude asks to use the Power BI tools.

6. Let Claude build a dashboard

   In Power BI Desktop choose File → Save as and pick Power BI project (*.pbip). Then ask Claude, using your own path:

   Build a sales overview dashboard on a new page in D:\Reports\Sales.pbip. Use the midnight theme.Copy

   If Claude adds measures, press Ctrl+S when it asks. When the page is built, close Power BI Desktop, choose Don't save, and open the .pbip again. The PDF guide has 10 sample dashboards with the prompts to copy.